Use-After-Free Vulnerability in Linux Kernel Affecting Network Security Policies

CVE-2026-53239

What is CVE-2026-53239?

A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's XFRM (IPsec) networking subsystem, specifically involving the handling of inexact network policy contexts. This flaw arises due to improper synchronization mechanisms during operations that modify policy settings, which can lead to a race condition. As a result, if a policy is deleted while another process attempts to access it concurrently, it can lead to memory corruption and potential exploitation, thereby degrading system stability and security.

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